The International Centre for Advanced Islamic Research (ICAIR) is proud to announce the publication of the latest issue of Al-Qalam: Journal of Advanced Islamic Research (Vol. 2, No. 1), featuring new scholarship that deepens critical engagement with classical texts and modern debates in Shi‘i thought and Islamic studies. Issue Highlights: This issue explores the authenticity of foundational devotional texts, the evolving historiography of Shi‘i hadith literature, and the political-theological complexities of ziyārat traditions. It includes: Academic Articles: Assessing the Authenticity of the Ahl al-Bayt’s Supplications: A Case Study of Duʿāʾ ʿArafa – Hamid Khani (Farhang Mihrwash) critically examines the textual transmission and historical context of Duʿāʾ ʿArafa, arguing for its likely origin in the teachings of Imam Jaʿfar al-Ṣādiq rather than Imam al-Ḥusayn, challenging both academic and devotional assumptions. The Final Passage in Ziyārat ʿĀshūrāʾ: Original or Additional? – Sayyid Mahdi Mahmoudi investigates claims of textual corruption in Ziyārat ʿĀshūrāʾ, presenting new manuscript evidence that reframes the role of taqiyya in the preservation of Shi‘i devotional texts. A Typological and Statistical Analysis of Early Twelver Biographies of the Imams – Rouhollah Towhidi-niya and Muhammad Muhammadifar conduct a comparative analysis of al-Kulaynī’s al-Kāfī, al-Ṣadūq’s ʿUyūn Akhbār al-Riḍā, and al-Mufīd’s al-Irshād, mapping patterns in early biographical writing on the Imams. Research Notes: Some Notes on the State of Islam in English (Including a New Translation of Munājāt Shaʿbāniyya) – Aun Hasan Ali offers reflections on the challenges and possibilities of rendering Islamic piety in English, accompanied by a fresh, sensitive translation of Munājāt Shaʿbāniyya. Book Reviews: Contemporary Ḥadīth Studies in Iranian Scholarship – Mostafa Bargahi reviews recent efforts to critically reconstruct early Islamic textual sources, highlighting innovative trends in Shi‘i hadith studies. Living Shi’ism: Instances of Ritualisation Among Islamist Men in Contemporary Iran by David Thurfjell – Reviewed by Zahra Naghshband. Material Culture and Rethinking the History of Shīʿīsm – Hossein Mohseni discusses how material culture can reshape our understanding of Shi‘i historical identity. About Al-Qalam: Al-Qalam serves as a peer-reviewed forum for advancing rigorous scholarship in Shi‘i studies and Islamic thought, promoting dialogue between traditional and academic disciplines. The journal is published by ICAIR and continues to attract leading voices from across the Muslim intellectual world. Availability: The full issue is available for purchase through Amazon and the WF Shop in both softcover and hardcover formats. Order your copy on the links below: https://www.wfshop.org/International-Centre-for-Advanced-Islamic-Research-ICAIR